DIGITAL VIDEO ILLUMINATION
Digital Video Illumination is a method of lighting developed by Robert Gardiner in which digital video projectors replace conventional stage lights. In this method, a relatively small number of video projectors are arranged so that they "cover" the performance area, and illumination, colour, shape, pattern, movement, and visual focus are created with light from these projectors, which are controlled using a personal computer.
"prosumer" video projectors were used in the three examples below for both the lighting and the backdrops
design & photo: Robert Gardiner
design: Conor Moore, photo Tim Matheson
design & photo: Wlad Woyno
In 2004, with generous support from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (as well as support from several other Canadian funding agencies), Gardiner began a series of collaborative experiments which led to the development of the "digital video illumination" process, which has been used by a few designers for the past several years.

Gardiner is currently working with programmer Dhruv Adhia to develop a user-friendly control software that will make lighting and image projection with video projectors a more accessible option for designers and directors without extensive computer skills, and also serve as a basic architecture to which more complex functions involving video projection can be added.
"Studies in Motion, the Hauntings of Edweard Muybridge:" Electric Company Theatre and Theatre at UBC, 2006. Photo by Tim Matheson
Below are links to pictures of some stage plays lit mostly or entirely with video projectors
PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHS

" Transit Lounge" - photographs "Beyond Eden" - photographs
"Studies in Motion" - photographs "MK Woyzek" - photographs
"Life After God" - photographs
"Old Goriot" - photographs
additional explanation of some early stages of the digital video illumination project
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